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While it is an open question as to whether sustainability-oriented small businesses differ from other small businesses in their developmental needs, there is some reason to believe that their customer base may have differing expectations regarding their relationship with the firm. Given this, the role of online platforms that intermediate customer-company relationships merits attention. Here we investigate the case of an online platform dedicated to sustainability-oriented small businesses and consider the ways in which this platform supports, or not, the firms that it aims to promote. Drawing on value creation and the behavioural change theories of Prochaska and colleagues, we propose that small, sustainability-oriented firms are most likely to benefit from online platforms while in the maintenance stage of their development, because committing to sustainability requires conscious deliberation. We further propose that this will likely require a helping relationship in the sense defined by Prochaska et al. (2001) – as seeking and using social support for their development. In the cases examined, we observe a gap between firms’ expectations and those of the platform founders. Despite this, the firms could conceive of ways in which this could be remedied to mutual benefit. These options were discussed with platform founders and possible ways forward proposed. JEL Codes: M13, O33, Q20